HiI am starting out with astrophotography and have a quick question with regards the Orion StarShoot G3. The price for starting out seems reasonable for me and most reviews are positive, the one thing I can't discern from the reviews is whether to get the colour or mono version.

I don't know if it makes a difference but the scope in use would is a Celestron CPC925, once I get used to using the camera I will invest in an EQ wedge for it.

That's a tricky question! You'll get a higher resolution with the b&w version and it will be more sensitive. But to get colour you will have to take two or more images with different filters and then spend the time to compose them into a colour image. Whereas, the colour camera will directly produce colour images. This is generally considered the entry root for beginners because there is enough to master with a colour camera without the agro or expense of LRGB filters and filter wheels.

RegardsDave B.

Last edited by dave.b on Sun Feb 15, 2015 12:46 am, edited 1 time in total.

Thanks for posting back, that sort of sums up the dilemma. I stumbled across a sit where there were some sample files with each colour already stacked to aligned into 3 images. Was playing around with them on the train home this morning. I hope that I don't bite off more than I can chew, but think I'll take the harder route of monochrome, even though they weren't my images it still gave me a sense of achievement creating a colour image from the three greyscales.

Ok, so I was going to buy an Orion but after talking with the guys from Atik at Astrophest the other week I got quite a good deal on a 314L+. Been getting used to the software, however clear skies have been eluding me at the moment when I'm not working, will let you know how I get on.

It's been a while, but finally got some clear skies when I wasn't working. In the end I purchased an Atik 314L+ (though I still need to get sorted for LRGB imaging), I also decided to get the Orion G3 for those nights where I know I won't have too much time, whether it is the weather or work etc.

I still have a lot of work to do playing with the software for each camera, but I thought I'd add a couple of what I have done so far images. I was a bit hampered by the weather, blowing a mini-gale and light pollution is also a factor.

M101 taken with the Orion G3

M101 G3 Clour combined.jpg (54.55 KiB) Viewed 7078 times

The image was created from 5 40s exposures combined in the Orion software.

M82 taken with the Atik 314L+

M82 PS.jpg (154.16 KiB) Viewed 7078 times

This was a single 45s exposure.

Vega taken with Atik 314L+

Vega cropped.jpg (21.75 KiB) Viewed 7078 times

This was a single 30s exposure

I know they're not great images by any standard, but I'm learning and always open to comments, advice etc.